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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25919050">Parallel Night Sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamonday/pseuds/diamonday'>diamonday</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The X-Files</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Episode: s08e14 This is Not Happening, F/M, Post-Episode: s08e16 Three Words</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:15:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>797</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25919050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamonday/pseuds/diamonday</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Perhaps when she is gray and wrinkled and faded she looks to the night sky and whispers, there's someone up there who loved me once. Did I ever tell you about him? We used to sit next to each other at the FBI.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fox Mulder/Dana Scully</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Parallel Night Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please note that I'm not a native speaker, but I'm trying my best! I even tried to play a little with the language - hopefully it works out.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sky is cold and unforgiving above the ground she finds his body on, his skin as cold as the starless sky. The world makes no sound at all when it falls apart inside of her. She tastes the sharp shreds in her throat as she runs towards the light.</p><p>But she's too late, too late and the light is gone and what remains is nothing. She feels his fingers slipping away from her tight grip, she's falling behind, he has found the only place where she can't follow.</p><p>Death is no stranger to them, but this time it's different. This death is not just a graze of a hand; instead of just passing them by in the dark, this death is fair and simple. <em>The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.</em></p><p>He's there laughing in the rain, he's there smiling at her jokes and taking her hand as they run to the darkness together, he's there to catch her when she falls, again and again. He's there, a warm hand on her shoulders, on her back, until he is no more. That gentle soul she came to know so well. Arms no longer warm, feet no longer moving. His mouth has no smiles left to wrinkle around the eyes and shine. He's not here anymore. Perhaps he's already in the stars high above. Perhaps when she is gray and wrinkled and faded she looks to the night sky and whispers,<em> there's someone up there who loved me once. Did I ever tell you about him? We used to sit next to each other at the FBI. </em>Perhaps he'll hear her then.</p><p>She throws up, the pieces of the world tearing her apart even more on their way back up. Her friends hold her, pick her up, take her home but she doesn't see anything but him, and his stupid jokes and stubborn and obsessive temper and him, him, softer around the edges every year, the love radiating from him brighter and brighter, burning her softly. Until it stops and the world is falling and spinning around violently without him there to slow it down. Without him the world lacks rhythm.</p><p>There's a parallel world right next to her, bleeding through. A world where she enters his door and he asks, "Am I not feeding my fish good enough, is that what you're implying, agent Scully?" The parallel universe's waves rush to the shores of this world. When she watches television she hears his remarks, they almost make her smile. And in the night he lies next to her, warm body breathing in and out, wrapping a hand around her waist in his sleep.</p><p>Until the universes collide and it's no longer just a passing wave but tangible flesh and blood; he's<em> there</em>.</p><p>Neither of them knows how to act, really. Every breath she takes a prayer, a thank you, for he has risen, he's standing there right there. She doesn't know what to say. He knows even less, the world makes no sense to him. He's scared and hurt and ends up hurting her in the process, and there they are again, finding their steps to this dance they know too well, taking one step forward, two steps back as they dance in a circle that never ends.</p><p>Yet this time around she's not willing to keep up. She's tired and overwhelmed and very pregnant. When the night falls he knocks on her door, looking like a lost little boy and her tears are all over her face. It doesn't take even a second for him to take her in his arms, finally. She's different but she's the same, she still fits under his chin and his hands are warm again when they stroke her back. He's<em> sorry, </em>he's <em>so sorry, Scully. Scully.</em> He doesn't want to hurt her, he never does, <em> please know that, please. </em></p><p>She wipes her eyes and holds his arms gently, tries to remember the steps to a waltz. Maybe the stars align for a second and the radio in her living room starts playing an old waltz, violins and cellos, or is it just Mulder, humming softly.</p><p><em>Let me call you sweetheart, I'm in love with you.</em> And they spin, now together with the world, to the same rhythm. She's safe in the scent of his shirt and skin and hair.</p><p><em>Let me hear you whisper that you love me too.</em> She rests her head against his chest and they sway slow, in the dim light of her living room.</p><p><em>Keep your love light glowing in your eyes so true.</em> He holds her tighter than he ever has before.</p><p><em>Let me call you sweetheart.</em> All the stars in all the night skies dance with them.</p><p>
  <em>I'm in love with you.</em>
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